First Baptist Church Litchfield
chapel 4/22

      • Joshua 1:8ESV

  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Sovereign One

      • Philippians 4:13ESV

  • Crushed
  • Peace

  • When Fear Tries to Take Your Eyes Off What Matters Most

    During World War II, many young men were called to step into battle. Some were overwhelmed by fear and wanted to hide. War is a hard thing. No one wants to face danger, loss, and uncertainty. Yet evil was advancing, and something had to be done. Those who stepped forward did not do so because they felt no fear. They acted because something greater mattered more than their fear. History remembers those who stormed the beaches of Normandy, not because they were fearless, but because they chose courage in the face of fear.
    Fear is not always wrong. Fear can warn you of danger. But fear becomes a problem when it keeps you from doing what is right. When fear controls you, it fixes your eyes on the problem instead of on God. When that happens, you stop moving forward in your faith. You begin to shrink back. You begin to settle for what is safe instead of what is right.
    That is exactly where the disciples find themselves in Matthew 14. They are in a storm. The wind is against them. The waves are beating against the boat. It is dark, it is late, and they are afraid. And in that moment, Jesus teaches them something that every one of us needs to learn.

    Courage requires you to fix your eyes on Jesus so you can step out in faith to do the hard things.

    Fix Your Eyes on Jesus Because He Is Greater Than the Storm (Matthew 14:22–27)

    Jesus sends His disciples ahead in a boat while He goes up on the mountain to pray. As night falls, the disciples are far from land, and Matthew tells us that the boat is beaten by the waves because the wind is against them. The storm is real. The pressure is real. The fear is real.
    Then in the fourth watch of the night, while it is still dark, Jesus comes to them walking on the sea. Instead of feeling relieved to see their teacher, the disciples feel terror. They cry out in fear because they think they are seeing a ghost. But immediately Jesus speaks to them and says, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
    Notice that Jesus does not remove the storm right away to calm their fear. Instead, He reveals Himself in the middle of it so they can learn to fix their eyes on him midst the storm.
    Why can Jesus walk calmly on the waves while the disciples panic in the boat? Because He is not threatened by the storm. He rules over it. Colossians 1:17, says that all things were created through Him and for Him, and in Him all things hold together. The wind answers to Him. The waves answer to Him. The storm is not outside His control. It is under His authority.
    What that means for you is if Jesus has authority over the storm on the sea, then He has authority over the storms in your life. The pressure you feel. The fear you face. The uncertainty in front of you. None of it is outside His control.
    When you fix your eyes on Jesus, your fear begins to lose its grip. You begin to see that the One who calls you is greater than the thing that scares you.

    Fix Your Eyes on Jesus So You Will Have Courage to Step Out (Matthew 14:28–29)

    When Peter hears the voice of Jesus, something changes in him. He says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responds with one word. He says, “Come.”
    And Peter steps out of the boat.
    The storm has not stopped. The wind is still blowing. The waves are still crashing. The other disciples remain where they are. But Peter steps forward fearfully courageous.
    Courage does not wait for life to get easier. Courage trusts Jesus enough to obey Him when it is still hard.
    Peter’s courage is not found in himself. It is found in where he is looking. His eyes are fixed on Christ, and that gives him the strength to move.
    Think about what this looks like in your life. Jesus calls you to do hard things. He calls you to tell the truth when it would be easier to lie. He calls you to work hard when you feel like quitting. He calls you to stand for what is right when others go the opposite direction. He calls you to show kindness when it is not returned. He calls you to obey when it costs you something, maybe even everything.
    At Litchfield Christian School, courage looks like choosing integrity when no one is watching. It looks like taking responsibility for your work. It looks like standing up for someone who is being treated wrongly. It looks like following Christ even when it is not popular.
    When your eyes are on Jesus, you will have the courage to step out of the boat and do what He asks you to do.

    Take Your Eyes Off Jesus and Fear Will Take Over (Matthew 14:30)

    Matthew tells us that when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
    The storm did not suddenly become worse. What changed was Peter’s focus. He started by looking at Jesus, but then he began to look at the wind and the waves.
    That is what fear does. It pulls your attention away from Christ and fixes it on your circumstances. You begin to think about what could go wrong. You begin to feel overwhelmed by what is in front of you. You begin to hesitate.
    Peter did not sink because the storm was too strong. He sank because his fear shifted his focus away from Christ.
    The same thing happens to us. You begin with faith. You take a step forward. Then fear creeps in. You start thinking about the difficulty. You start focusing on the pressure. And your courage begins to fade.
    Courage is not sustained by your strength. It is sustained by your focus. When your eyes are on Jesus, your faith grows. When your eyes are on fear, your courage shrinks.

    Fix Your Eyes Back on Jesus and Trust His Grace to Hold You (Matthew 14:31–33)

    As Peter begins to sink, he cries out, “Lord, save me.” And immediately Jesus reaches out His hand and takes hold of him.
    Jesus does not hesitate. He does not delay. He immediately saves Peter.
    This shows you something deeply encouraging. Your hope is not in perfect courage. Your hope is in a perfect Savior. Even when your faith is weak, Jesus is strong. Even when you fail, Jesus holds you.
    Jesus brings Peter safely into the boat, and when He enters the boat, the wind ceases. The storm stops at His presence.
    The disciples respond by worshiping Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
    Through the storm, through the fear, and even through Peter’s failure, they now see Jesus more clearly than before.
    That is what God is doing in your life. He brings you into hard situations, not to destroy you, but to reveal Himself to you. He shows you that He is powerful, that He is wise, and that He is good.
    Romans 8:28 says that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Even your fears, even your struggles, even your failures are used by God to grow your faith and deepen your trust in Him.

    Keep Your Eyes on Jesus and Step Out in Courage

    At the beginning, we saw that fear can cause people to step back when they should step forward. The difference between those who showed courage and those who did not was not the absence of fear. It was what they fixed their eyes on.
    Those who acted with courage fixed their eyes on something greater than themselves.
    In the same way, courage in your life will not come from pretending you are not afraid. It will come from fixing your eyes on Jesus.
    You will face storms. You will feel fear. You will be tempted to stay in the boat where it feels safe.
    But Jesus is calling you.
    He is calling you to trust Him. He is calling you to step out in faith. He is calling you to do the right thing, even when it is the hard thing.
    And when you do, you will discover that He is faithful. He will meet you in the storm. He will hold you when you feel weak. He will grow your faith. He will shape your character.
    Fix your eyes on Jesus. Step out of the boat. Trust Him in the storm. And you will become the kind of person who lives with courage for the glory of God.

      • Matthew 14:22–27ESV

      • Matthew 14:28–29ESV

  • Empowered by the Spirit, Guided by the Word

      • Romans 8:38–39ESV

First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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